Ventilated mattress cover

ABSTRACT

A ventilated mattress pad for supporting an occupant includes a first and second layer of spacer fabric attached with a zipper to a fitted sheet or mattress cover or the mattress providing ventilation of excessive body heat and moisture away from the body and out into the room air. Integration of the ventilated pad to the sheet or mattress pad provides consistent location of the pad under the occupant while minimizing installation, removal time and effort. The ventilated pad is washable and can be re-attached to a new sheet or mattress cover when the sheet or mattress pad is worn out or damaged. The pad also reduces the average pressure on the skin surface.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates in general to a fitted mattress cover. Mattress covers commonly provide cushioning and protect the mattress from soiling. More specifically, this invention provides cushioning and maintains an air duct for the excessive body heat & moisture to be exhausted out into the room air.

Our body's cooling system relies on conductive, convective, evaporative and some radiant cooling. A physical law of heat is that it moves from hot to cold areas. Conduction of heat is made when solids transfer heat by direct contact as when our body makes contact with bed sheets. Convective transfer of heat occurs when the air near our skin absorbs body heat. This warm air will pass its heat on to cooler air if such air is available and in effect move the heat away from the skin. As long as cooler air is available the cooling cycle continues resulting in our temperature being maintained. If there is not enough cool air or a cool contact surface available (as when we lie on a mattress) the body will generate sweat to evaporatively cool the body. The event of evaporation requires an input of energy to turn the liquid into a gas. The heat is extracted from the body, thereby cooling it. But, as in the case of a vinyl-covered mattress, there is no air to evaporate the sweat and no evaporative cooling of the skin will take place. One option is rolling to expose the skin to fresh air to achieve cooling. Another option is lowering room temperature, which forces the body to generate more heat to maintain core body temperature and puts further stress the body.

Forcing the body to roll during sleep obviously disrupts any deep sleep and may prevent any sleep. In the hospital setting, rolling with intravenous attachments can be life threatening.

When we lie down our body shape generates pressure points or areas where the pressure is sufficient to constrict blood flow. Relieving the pressure and returning blood flow is essential to maintaining healthy tissue. If possible we roll in our sleep to relieve these pressure points.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is desirable to provide a ventilated mattress cover that is economical to manufacture, simple to install, washable, and attaches to sheets, mattress covers, or to the mattress. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a ventilated mattress cover that ventilates and reduces the average pressure on an occupant. The ventilated mattress cover utilizes a 3-dimensional spacer fabric which conforms to the body and its thousands of vertically aligned fibers act as springs uniformly supporting the body weight. This uniform support helps distribute the weight and reduces the average pressure. The spacer fabric maintains an open-air pathway to the room air allowing air circulation under the occupant.

This invention includes a ventilated mattress cover that is easily & quickly attached to a standard fitted sheet, mattress cover, or mattress equipped with the mating fastening device.

In the preferred embodiment the mattress cover is attached with a brass zipper to the sheet, mattress cover or mattress. Attachment in this manner insures the ventilation pad stays in place under the occupant, provides easy installation, removal, and is completely machine washable as connected to the sheet or mattress cover. The ventilated pad can remain attached until the sheet or mattress cover is discarded due to wear, stains or rips in the sheet or mattress cover. The polyester ventilation pad is much more durable that the cotton blends of the sheet or mattress cover, thereby providing multiple recycling applications. When attached to the sheet in a hospital setting the time required to change and make a bed is minimized.

Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Side view of embodiment of the ventilated pad utilizing one layer of spacer fabric.

FIG. 2 Top view of the ventilated pad showing position and attachment location relative to a fitted sheet or fitted mattress cover.

FIG. 3 Side view illustrating the two-layer embodiment of the invention using a wicking layer or small hole spacer fabric layer.

FIG. 4 Side view of the two layer ventilated pad on top of the mattress showing attachment location to the mattress.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of a ventilated mattress cover according to this invention is indicated generally in Fig.2. The ventilated cover is particularly constructed to be attached to a fitted (1) bed sheet or (7) fitted mattress cover and provide ventilation and pressure reduction, however, it could also be integrated (FIG. 4) as part of a (5) manufactured mattress and attached with a zipper along the side of the (6) mattress.

When installed on a (5) mattress the body weight of the occupant does not totally collapse the (2) spacer fabric (generally between 5-20 mm thick). The (2) spacer fabric maintains an air pathway or duct to the room air. This duct transfers the warmer moist air generated by the occupant out into the room air. The heat and moisture first pass thru the (1) sheet and (3) wicking layer or small hole (2-3 mm diameter) spacer fabric by conduction, convection, radiation and evaporation. This heat and humidity are picked up by the constantly circulating room air present in the (2) spacer fabric layer and exhausted out into the room. The process will continue as long as the room air is cooler and has less humidity than that produced by the occupant.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiments. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope. 

1. a ventilated mattress pad apparatus for supporting an occupant thereon, the mattress pad apparatus comprising a plurality of stacked fabric layers including: a standard fitted sheet equipped with a mating fastening device (such as zipper) to attach to the ventilated pad to provide position control, ease of sanitary maintenance, and easy replacement of a permanently damaged sheet; a second layer formed of an air permeable, moisture wicking fabric or small holed (2-3 mm diameter) spacer fabric layer; a third layer of spacer fabric with holes as large as 10 mm diameter and 5-20 mm thick to provide cushioning support and act as an air duct to vent excessive heat and moisture away from the occupant and disperse the heat and humidity out into the room air, The second & third are sewn together and attached to the mating zipper or fastening device. The zipper attaches the ventilated pad to the fitted sheet, mattress, or fitted mattress cover. 